Nadal overcomes defiant Dimitrov to reach Shanghai semi-finals

The two friends headed into a deciding set with Dimitrov in the ascendancy and the pro-Nadal crowd fearing an upset.

Rafael Nadal continued to scythe his way through the Shanghai Masters on Thursday, reaching the quarter-finals with a 6-3 6-1 thrashing of temperamental Italian Fabio Fognini.

Fognini has struggled with Nadal for 63 minutes, 9 minutes more than the duration of the match of the second round of the Spanish language.

Nadal had not obtained title in a tournament of the circuit of the ATP on the cement for over three years when he took the honors of global of the United States last month, and now he covets his third trophy in five weeks.

Dimitrov raced in to unleash a backhand victor for a break point in the fourth game of the final set, but Nadal thwarted him again and claimed the decisive break to lead 4-2 before sealing yet another win.

Rafael Nadal stayed on the course for his first title in Shanghai after a hard-fought6-4 6-7 6-3 triumph over the 6th seed Grigor Dimitrov, notching his 15th win in a row and 10th in 11 matches against the Bulgarian (he beat him in Beijing last week as well, also in 3 sets).

The 19-time Grand Slam champion will now cross swords with Richard Gasquet of France for a place in the semi-finals. Del Potro needed four match balls to sign his first victory against the German. The Argentine will now take on Viktor Troicki, who knocked out 12th seed John Isner.

This was their 6th meeting and the 4th win for Marin, who is yet to drop a set this week in Shanghai.